New York, August 20 - Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, two of the largest carriers in the United States, are facing class-action lawsuits filed on August 19, 2025, in federal courts in Brooklyn, New York, and San Francisco, California, respectively. The lawsuits, led by passengers Nicholas Meyer against Delta and Marc Brenman and Aviva Copaken against United, accuse the airlines of deceptive practices by selling seats labeled as “window seats” that lack actual windows. These seats, often located next to a blank cabin wall due to aircraft design, were allegedly marketed as premium options, with passengers paying additional fees ranging from tens to hundreds of dollars. The complaints highlight that, unlike competitors such as Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, which clearly flag windowless seats during the booking process, Delta and United fail to disclose this critical detail, misleading customers who expect a window for their extra payment. The lawsuits estimate that over one million passengers per airline may have been affected, with the plaintiffs seeking millions in damages for what they describe as false advertising and breach of contract.
.gif)
The issue stems from the design of certain aircraft, including Boeing 737s, Boeing 757s, and Airbus A321s, where specific rows lack windows due to the placement of air conditioning ducts, electrical conduits, or other structural components. Passengers argue that they select window seats for various reasons, including alleviating claustrophobia, reducing motion sickness, enjoying natural light, or simply experiencing the view from 30,000 feet. The complaints assert that had passengers known these seats were windowless, they would not have chosen them, let alone paid a premium. For instance, Aviva Copaken, who experiences claustrophobia, reported paying between $45.99 and $169.99 for three United flights, only to find herself seated next to a wall. While United refunded fees for two of her flights, it declined to do so for a third, which the lawsuit labels as a “bad faith attempt” to undermine her claims. Similarly, the Delta lawsuit contends that the airline explicitly indicated seats had windows when they did not, violating the terms of the ticket transaction.
The lawsuits emphasize that the airlines’ failure to disclose the windowless nature of these seats during booking constitutes a deceptive business practice. Attorney Carter Greenbaum, representing the plaintiffs in both cases, argues that Delta and United cannot rely on third-party websites like SeatGuru, which detail seat-specific information, to excuse their misrepresentation. He stated that companies must accurately represent their products and cannot shift responsibility to external sources for customers to uncover the truth. The complaints point out that other airlines, such as Alaska and American, proactively inform customers about windowless seats, suggesting that Delta and United could easily adopt similar transparency. The lawsuits seek not only financial compensation but also a public injunction to compel the airlines to clearly disclose which seats lack windows, ensuring passengers are fully informed before paying extra for what they believe to be a premium experience.
Neither Delta, based in Atlanta, nor United, based in Chicago, has immediately responded to requests for comment on the lawsuits. The cases, filed as Meyer v. Delta Air Lines Inc. (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 25-04608) and Brenman et al. v. United Airlines Inc., could set a precedent for how airlines market and price seat selections. Ancillary revenue from seat selection, baggage fees, and other services is a significant income stream for airlines, allowing them to keep base fares lower. However, the lawsuits argue that this revenue model must not come at the expense of transparency. As the legal proceedings unfold, the outcome could pressure Delta, United, and other carriers to reevaluate their booking systems and ensure that passengers receive exactly what they pay for, a true window seat with a view.